College art students receive top ribbons
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PABLO – Art students get an opportunity to showcase their talents after receiving top awards during the 2016 American Indian Higher Education Consortium. Salish Kootenai College artists Quinton Decker, Krystal Poirier, and Candace Aldrich put their art on display during the SKC Foundation Art Exhibit, which will be on display until May 27 in the Woodcock building on SKC campus.
“To be honest it is always a little nerve racking to showcase my work, it reminds me of the beginning of a track race,” Decker said. “Although I encourage a diversity of opinion, it is not always easy to deal with people’s reactions on an emotional level; the art is an extension of myself.”
The students submitted their work to the AIHEC, which according to their website is the collective spirit and unifying voice of our nation’s Tribal Colleges and Universities.
After getting ribbons at the AIHEC, Director of SKC Fine Arts Program Cameron Decker believed that their work should be showcased for locals to view. It just happened to be perfect timing since SKC had just received $42,000 worth of Martin Grelle artwork from Wayne and Ann Miller. The SKC Art Exhibit showcases the donated paintings and the students work.
“As an artist one of the main reasons to create art is to receive feedback and acknowledgment for the many hours that is spent on each piece,” Poirier said. “It is truly an honor to be recognized and bring awareness to all the local artists in our area.”
Poirier, a member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, uses her past for inspiration.
“I believe I am charging into the future with my roots in the past,” Poirier said. “Native American art work is unique and essential to keep the traditions and past alive within our cultures.”
For Quinton, his one-fourth Navajo background is something he is proud of but not necessarily used as inspiration for his art.
“I am by no means traditional and neither is my art really,” Quinton said. “The environment has changed dramatically since the conception of many traditional art forms such as sally bag weaving and jewelry making.”
While he appreciates art from the past, Quinton is excited to see what the future holds for art.
“Art empowers my voice and self expression,” Quinton said. “It is helping me find my identity and how I fit within my local and global community.”
